When imaging various parts of the human body, it has been the practice of the physician or technologist to mark certain body parts with a thin lead strip or wire which can be seen on the radiographic image that is obtained. One purpose of identifying particular portions of the body is to prevent the physician who examines the image from being misled by artefactual shadows cast by certain body tissues of varying radiographic density. For example, it is known to use lead nipple markers described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,035, Marcus et al. Another purpose of identification is to delineate the margins of the radiation field which will be the target of radiation therapy. For this purpose it is known to tape paper clips or pieces of lead to a patient's body in order to mark a particular region or body part. This marking process can be uncomfortable for the patient and inconvenient for the physician or technician, and may be inaccurate.
An object of the invention is to provide a convenient and effective marker system for use in radiology.
Another object of the invention is to provide a marker system for use in radiology which is safe and comfortable for the patient.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a disposable radiology marker system of the type described above which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
In addition, the invention provides for prevention of the spread of infection by permitting and encouraging single patient use.
A further object of the invention is to provide a radiology marker system that comes in a convenient and accessible dispenser.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a marker system for use in radiology in which an adhesive marker having a lead-containing wire of a desired length can be conveniently cut.
Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.
The invention in a preferred form is a marker system for use in radiology. The marker system comprises an elongated base tape, a bendable, covered wire containing a material that is opaque to imaging radiation, and a plurality of adhesive support pads mounted along the length of the wire. The adhesive pads are releasably adhered to the base tape and are manually removable from the base tape together with the wire for releasable adherence to a subject.
Another embodiment of the invention is a dispenser containing the marker system of the invention. The dispenser includes a package for holding and supplying the tape, an elongated base tape disposed in the package and dispensable therefrom, a bendable, fabric covered wire comprising a material that is opaque to imaging radiation, and a plurality of adhesive members fixedly aligned along the length of the wire in a continuous arrangement, as discussed above. Preferably, the dispenser further includes a cutting device for cutting the marker to a desired length.
The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application which will be indicated in the appended claims.